Antimicrobial active packaging films based on sorbic acid
Abstract
Common packaging films were coated with an antimicrobial active polyvinyl acetate lacquer containing sorbic acid as active agent. The antimicrobial efficacy was determined against the test strains Escherichia coli DSM 1567, Staphylococcus aureus DSM 346 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae DSM 70449 using the Japanese Industrial Standard Method JIS Z 2801:2000. In addition, storage tests were performed with Gouda cheese and pork loin. The Gouda cheese was inoculated with 5 × 10² colony forming units (cfu) of the mould Penicillium roqueforti and covered with a lacquered PE-film with and without sorbic acid. After 7 days of storage a visible difference between the two samples was found. On the pork a count reduction to one fifth of the initial inoculum could be observed after 9 days of storage. These findings affirm that antimicrobial active packaging films based on sorbic acid can make a significant contribution to the quality and safety of packed food.
